SAN JOSE, Calif. — The University of Arizona men’s basketball team defeated the University of Arkansas 109-88 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 26 in the SAP Center. The Wildcats have continued to dominate their competition, never trailing at any point in this tournament.
Arizona’s clear size advantage proved decisive, allowing them to get high-percentage shots at the rim and frequent trips to the free throw line.
Despite Arizona attempting just eight 3-pointers, they managed to score the most points ever allowed by a John Calipari team in the NCAA Tournament.
“Sometimes you just have to keep scoring. You keep putting the pressure on them […] our guys did a great job of that,” head coach Tommy Lloyd said after the game.
Key players
The Wildcats had six players score in double figures, led by standout freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. Burries was extremely efficient, putting up 23 points on just 11 shots. Peat dominated the paint, scoring 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, consistently getting to the rim with ease.
Arkansas was led by SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., who scored 28 points. Meleek Thomas served as a strong secondary option, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds and four steals, making an impact on both ends of the court.
Game recap
Burries set the tone early, driving past Acuff Jr. for a layup on the first play. Arkansas attempted to push the pace and create open looks from the perimeter, while Arizona preferred a half-court game focused on paint touches, yet proved comfortable running in transition when needed.
The Razorbacks kept the game close through the first five minutes, until Tobe Awaka grabbed a missed shot by Peat and threw down a monster slam over the Arkansas defense. Arizona pushed the lead to 11 points by the 10-minute mark and never looked back.
Lloyd stuck with the strategy that worked all season, feeding Motiejus Krivas in the paint and taking what the defense gave them, which helped Arizona shoot over 60% for the game.
Arizona went into halftime with an 11-point lead.
The Wildcats continued their dominance in the second half, using their length and athleticism to frustrate the Razorbacks and make the game increasingly physical as time wound down.
Arkansas’ Billy Richmond III got tangled up with Jaden Bradley before committing a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 on Ivan Kharchenkov out of frustration.
“To play championship basketball, you’ve got to just stand up and walk away from the action,” Lloyd said. “This isn’t the playground.”
Arizona built a commanding 21-point lead with 13 minutes left, and Arkansas was unable to close the gap for the rest of the game.
Looking forward
Arizona now prepares to face Purdue University in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 28 in the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The game tips off at 5:49 p.m. and will be televised on TBS and truTV.
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